US military aid to Ukraine dwindles as Pentagon faces weapons’ shortages: Report

US military aid to Ukraine has decreased in size with time due to dwindling stockpiles of weapons and equipment that the Pentagon is prepared to provide, according to a report by CNN.

How much funding does the Biden administration still have for Ukraine?

Although the Biden administration still has $6 billion in funds available to support Ukraine, the Pentagon's inventory is now limited after more than two years of the war, the report said. Two US officials told CNN that this is affecting what can be sent to Kyiv.

"It’s about the stockpiles we have on our shelves, what [the Ukrainians] are asking for, and whether we can meet those requests with what we currently have," one official explained to CNN.

In light of this situation, the Pentagon has requested Congress to extend the deadline for using these funds, which is set to expire at the end of September, said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s press secretary.

What challenges are faced in replenishing US military supplies?

"Replenishment is another issue," the official further noted to CNN. While the US is ramping up production of key military supplies, to supply both Ukraine and its own forces, it is a long-term process that won't immediately address the growing demand.

Before the Ukraine conflict, the US was producing around 15,000 of the 155 mm shells each month. With new factories and production lines in place, production has now reached 40,000 shells per month. Despite this, it will still take over a year for the Pentagon to meet its goal of producing 100,000 shells monthly.

How is Ukraine affected by these shortages?

Ukraine is already feeling the effects of these shortages, as President Volodymyr Zelensky has alreadysaid. He expressed frustration over delays in deliveries of promised air defence systems and warned that this delay had led to a significant gap in critical aid.

Back in April, the Pentagon committed to sending up to $1 billion in weapons and equipment directly from its own reserves after Congress finally approved additional funding for Ukraine. However, since then, individual aid packages have been much smaller, ranging from $125 million to $400 million, with none exceeding the $400 million mark.

According to CNN, another US official mentioned that, earlier this year, the administration couldn’t draw from the Department of Defense’s stockpiles for four months due to delays in Congress approving the funding. The official also explained that the US is being cautious about how much aid is sent to Ukraine at once. Despite this, the US is announcing new aid packages every two weeks, which, according to the official, is something Ukraine appreciates, as it serves as a morale booster.

(With inputs from agencies)